History That Is Still Alive
I was watching my step carefully as Thomas Baur beckoned me to follow him through the maze of his cellars — not an easy task. Thomas moves at a frantic pace from sun-up to sundown, and he knows every inch of his centuries-old cellar; a hodgepodge of medieval structures, filled with ancient foudre and implements his ancestors employed.
We were tasting straight from the casks when I made an offhand comment about the layers of history around us.
He stopped short. "Yes, but that history is still alive."
As a 9th-generation winemaker, carrying on a family tradition, harvest after harvest, he had a point. He explained that while he maintains these old casks and uses tools his grandfather and great-grandfather employed, he's not doing it out of nostalgia. As he pointed out to me, any tradition was at one point an innovation. New technology or old, Thomas is neither dogmatic nor a romantic. His guiding principle: What will make the wine better?
Tasting these two riesling, I think he knows what he’s talking about; Meticulously farmed, precision made, and full of character, reflecting the obvious joy Thomas exudes from what he gets to do every day. I love the Baur wines for their explosive aromatics, rich body, electrifying acidity and overall intensity. They won't wilt in the presence of a hearty meal, and reward your attention. And they age beautifully in the cellar.
Riesling Herrenweg 2024
A benchmark vineyard for the appellation, planted with vines between 40 and 70 years old, surrounded by a who's who of organic and biodynamic neighbors: Josmeyer, Barmes, Zind-Humbrecht. This is an emphatically dry Riesling, loaded with tension. Lemon pith, apricot and white peach on the nose, followed by a stony edge and laser-like acidity on the finish. The kind of wine that pairs with almost anything and rewards you every time.
Riesling ‘Clos de la Treille’
Alsace Grand Cru 2023
One of just 51 Grand Cru sites in all of Alsace, the Brand vineyard on the hillside above Turckheim is among the most celebrated. Thomas farms a small parcel within it — the Clos de la Treille — on a unique mix of mica and schist soils that give the wine a singular character. Aged 10 months in a 100-year-old upright foudre, this comes in at a modest 12.3% alcohol, bone dry, and built for the long haul.
Rich, honeyed and multi-layered, with classic Riesling aromatics — apricot, orange peel, sea air, and a note of granite after rain. Drink one now to see what the fuss is about, and cellar one or two more for a decade if you have the patience. This might be the top of the mountain for Thomas — a rare treat, and I mean that literally, we have just 3 cases available.
We’ve definitely lucked into something with Baur. This is a winery that should have been snapped up by some other importer long ago — and somehow wasn't. I love Alsatian wine, and Thomas deserves more fans and disciples on this side of the Atlantic. These two Rieslings showcase the best of what he does.